The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-03-02
THE CASHIERS STORY.
BY ALFRED b. TozER.

BY ALFRED b. TOzER.
~ have tried time and again to reason
myself out of it. l don't like the idea of
going through life acknowledging that
am indebted to the supernatural for my
very existence. l have never believed
In the supernatural. 1 am not going to
believe in it now if can find any other
way of accounting for my being here,
instead of at the foot of a gravestone out
on the hill yonder."
We had been discussing spiritualism
before the open fire in Charley's room,
and had drifted from arguments on the
condition of the dead to the relation of
incidents of a mysterious character in
fuencing the lives of the living.
81 don't like to figure as a creature of
the mysterious" Charley continued,
"because it seems to commit me to be.
lief in all sorts of outlandish and uE-
| natural things-to inclose me in an at
mosphere altogether unearthly; but my
only relief seems to lie in an utter re-
pudiation of an occurrence too real and
too productive of practical results to be
repudiated, 80 you see / am in good
| deal of q mess over it.
Now, Charley is one of the most mat
| ter-of-fact of men. At the downtown
bank where he holds the position of
cashier, such an admission on his part
would have produced a sensation. In
the familiar circle where he sat that night
it only provoked curiosity. This curl
osity he at once proceeded to satisfy, be-
! ginning with an abrupt question:
''Do you remember the night of the
18th of March2"
No one seemed to remember, for no
one answered.
"That's singular, " he said, after mo.
ments silence. sAt the same time you
all took q great interest in at least one
of the occurrences of that night. Irefer
to the attempted bank-robbery.
Certainly; we all remembered that.
We had simply failed to locate it on the
date given-the night of the 18th of
March.
\ "Well, when left the bank that even
ing" Charley continued, ~ was accom-
panied by Dick Munson, the paying-tell-
era pale, nervous little fellow, with a
memory for faces and signatures almost
phenomenal, and an instructive ability
to detect fraud. We stopped on the
bank-steps for a moment to speak to a
customer, and then passed on up the
street together. His rooms are about half
mile further out than mine, and when
we were kept at the bank later than US
ual, as on that occasion, we frequently
dined together at a neat little restaurant
not far from my chambers. We did so
that night, occupying a table alone in a
small alcove from which window
looked out upon side street.
"We were we'll through the meal, when
Dick called my attention to the figure OF
man standing ON the outer edge of the
walk, and facing across the side street.
'Do you remember having seen that
person before this eveningF he asked.
~ glanced up carelessly, and replied
that, to the best of my recollection,
then saw the man for the first time.
- Then, he added, nervously, mote
some popularity in dress or attitude, SC
you will know if you see him again.
Wait; the face is the best index. lie
may turn this way in moment"
"As though influenced by our rigid
scrutiny, the man on the walk turned al
most before Dick had done speaking,
and faced the window where we sat.
Z" Don't look now, " Dick said, turning
his own eyes away. He is watching us,
When you do look, notice the upper
portion of his face. People of his kind
usually point out their peculiarities by
trying to hide them. Look sharp undel
the rim of the slouch hat he wears fol
some distinguishing mark
"While the teller was speaking,
caught a full view of the mans face
The eyebrows were very thick and black
and came close together. There was NJ
arch TO speak off, and the general effec
was that of a straight, unbroken lint
crossing the lower forehead. 1t was
face not easily forgotten.
-" Il thought you would find some
thing there. Dick said, when told hin
what | had seen. 4 was not quicl
enough to see the fellows face, but
should have known him anywhere. II
stood in front of the bank steps when W
stopped there tonight, and has kept u
} in sight nearly all the way up. Unles
he is frightened off we shall hear froI
him before long
'I laughed heartily at Dicks view @
the matter, and nothing more was sal
on the subject until we reached IN
rooms. Then, placing his hand on m
arm, he exclaimed
:" i can't get over what we were talk
ing about at the restaurant, l can't e
= that slouching figure on the edge of tn
= walk out of my mind. Let me remin
q you once more to look sharp for that fac
wherever you go. Goodnight,
"He was off before / could make an
reply, and went on upstairs, laughin
S quietly at what considered the nervoI
fears of tired-out and naturally su
! piciOu man
son my sitting-room table l found
note reminding me of an important el